Washing machine



May 19, 1931. G. WEBB WASHING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l fUI EHZ'I'UI 5501375 M217 Z7 la. lwffm/ Attorngy Filed May 5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [fly 2271 701" 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 .571 517501 5502375 blag/Z7 7/ 1 $21:

tn ne r G. WEBB WASHING MACHINE Filed May 5, 192

Patented May 19, 193

UNITED STATES rAr-E'NT. orrlca GEORGE WEBB, OF WESTHARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A S SIGF'OR TO COLTS PATENT FIRE .ALRMS' MANUFACTURING 60., 01B HABTIDRD, CONNECTICUT, A GORI'OBATION OI GON'NEG'I'IGUT WASHING uacnmn Application filed May 5, .1928fSeria1 No. 275,502.

' The invention relates particularly to a washing machine adapted for washing articles suchas newly machined parts having chips still adhering to them. However, ma-

5 chines embodying the invention are by no means limited in their utility to the washing of such newly machined parts and may be used for washing articles of any suitable kind.

A machine of'the type to which the inven tion relates comprises a substantially horizontal conveyor for moving through the machine the articles to be washed, a tank at oneside of the conveyor and below the level of the article moving part thereof for con- ,taining a supply of cleansing fluid, means for bodies to prevent themfrom passing either onto the lower run of the conveyor or intothe tank.

The accompanying drawings-are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as defining or limiting the 7 Fig. 1 but showing an alternate construction embodyingv the invention.

scope of the invention, the claims forming a partofthis specification being relied upon for that purpose.

. Ofthedrawings:

Fig. 1 is aside view, apart of the tank being broken away to show interior parts.

the broken lines of Figs. .1 and 3. i Fig. 3 is a right end viewIof the machine,

.the conveyor belt being omitted for the sake of simplicity. Fig. 4'is a fragmentary side view similar to Fig.1 5 is; a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken .Iapnroximately along Referring to thedrawings, 1 represents the main casing of the machine, this casing being generally rectangular'ii-n transverse cross section as shown in 3 and being provided work, this framework being preferably constructed of structural steel parts. The framework includes four vertical members 8, 8 and 'vateid position by means of a suitable frame- Q 9, 9 located at the respective corners of the casing and extending downward to form main supporting legs for the machine. The framework may include such other structural steel members as ma be'necessary, such aslongitudinal connecting members 10, 10 and transverse members 11. ,There are also provided transverse members 12 provided with legs 13. Means is provided for moving the articles to be washed through the casing 1 from end to end thereof, and so far as the present invention is concerned this moving means can be varied within wide limits. As shown, however,-the means for .movingthe articles comprises an endless open-work conveyor which extends through the casing substantially from end to end thereof and which is adapted to have the articles placed directly upon it.

The endless belt of the conveyor is represented in the drawings at 14, this belt being supported at the ends of the machine by means of drums 15 and 16. The belt may be provided withrollers 17, 17 adapted to engage a "track 17*. The conveyor is operated preferably in the direction of the arrowshown in Fig. 1, the articles being placed upon the belt at the left hand end of the machine and being discharged therefrom at the end of the machine. U,

.Atank- 18 is provided for containing a supply of cleansing liqui'd,.this tank being lo-- cated at one side of the casing 1 and atone side. of the path, of'the articles. through; the

.said casing and'below the level of the said ath. .As shown the said tank 18 is directly right hand connected with the main casing 1 and is su orted in part on the members 12, 12 of t e ramework. The tank is provided with an openable cover 18", referably hinged at 18". Provision is madb for withdrawing the cleansing liquid from the tank 18 and for delivering it against the articles being moved through the casing b'y-the conveyor 14. As illustrated spray pipes 19, 19 extend transversely of the casing above the path of the articles therethrough and other spray pipes 20, 20 extend transversely of the casing below the said path of the articles The pipes 19, 19 are provided with downward directed spray orifices and the pipes 20, 20 are provided with upward directed spray orifices. As illustrated there are three spray pipes above the path of the articles and three spray pipes below the said path but the exact number is not essential.

- plied to the spray pipes 19, 19 and 20, 20 by means of su ply pipes 21 and 22, these pipes preferably eing located on' the exterior of the casing and at the sidesthereof op osite the tank. For forcibly delivering the c eansing liquid to the spray pipes through the said supply pipes 21 and 22 there is provided a ump device 23. The details of the pump evice may be widely varied but I have illustrated a device having a single main casing 24 with three separate pump compartments therein, the said pipes 21 being connected resfipctively with the said compartments.

ree separate impellers 25, 25 are mounted in the said compartments on a common drive shaft 26. Inlet pipes 27, 27 lead from the tank 18 and communicate with the three compartments of the (pump device. A suitable means is provide It will be observed that the pump device 23 and the motor28 are located in the space vertically belowthe casing 1 and are arranged" tank 18; In order to facilitate the "flow of liquid to the discharge opening 29 the bottom wall 5 of the casing 1 may be suitably inclined as shown. Projecting from the casing atthe discharge opening 29 there may be provided a short discharge spout or duct' 30.

For operating the conveyor 14 any suitable mechanism may be provided but I prefer and have shown a mechanism operated. by the same motor 28 which drives the pump 23.

As illustrated there is a' gear box 31 having a main shaft 32 which is directly connected with the shaft 26 ofthe pump. Mounted on the shaft 32 is a worm 33 which meshes with e cleansing liquid is sup-" for rotating the shaft 26 and thus operating the pump, and an elec tric motor 28 is illustrated for that purpose.

a worm wheel 34 on a short transverse shaft 35. The shaft 35 serves to rotate a sprocket wheel 36, connection being made through a I mately vertical plane, this plane preferably being arranged transversely of the direction of the conveyor movement. The inlet pipes 27, 27 are so positioned and connected as to receive liquid from one portion of the tank, and the discharge opening 29 is so positioned as to return the liquid intothe other portion of the tank. As shown the receiving portion of the tank is at the left hand end thereof and the discharge portion is at the right hand endthereof.

Between the two said ortions of the tank I provide a suitable ba e means which permits the-flow vofliquid from the receiving portion 'to the-discharge p'ortion, but which nevertheless serves to cause the maj or portion of any solid matter in the liquid to be deposited in the said receiving portion. I have shown two different baflle constructions. As

illustrated in Fig. 1 there is provided a bafile' plate 40 which extends entirely across the tank but which terminates above the bottom of the tank so as to leave a passageway. Associated with the baflle plate 40 is 'a' second baflle plate 41 which extends transversely of the tank and upward from the bottom thereof. The bafile plate 41 may terminate at a short distance abovethe bottom of the tank, but I have shown it as extending abov'efthe liquid level and as being provided with a large opening therein. A screen 42 is provided in register with the opening in the bafile plate 41. Preferably the screen 42 is removable being held in place by suitable guide bars 43, 43 and 44 secured to the plate 41. With the cover 18 open the screen 42 can he slid upward out of the tank for inspection or cleaning. Preferably the two baffle plates 40 and 41 are inclined as shown but this is not essential. I 7

From the description which has been given it will be obvious that a continuous circulation of liquid is maintained by means of the pump 23, the liquid being withdrawn as stated fromithe right hand discharge portion of the tank 18 and being forcibly delivered onto the articles to be washed through the spraypipes .19, 19 and 20, 20. From the said articles the fluid falls onto the bottom wall 5 of the casing and thence flows through the opening 29 into the receiving portion of the tank 18. Inasmuch as the liquid is withdrawn from the right hand discharge portion and is delivered to the left hand receiving portion it is obvious that a compensating flow must take place from the said receiving portion to the said discharge portion. Such flow is permitted by the'bafile means which has been described, but itis to some extentretarded thus maintaining the liquid in the receiving portion in va sufliciently quiescent state to permit any solid particles in the fluid to settle by gravity to the bottom of thetank. Obviously the liquid must pass under the bafile plate 40 and over the portion "of the baflie plate 41. When a screen suc as 42 is provided the liquid must-pass through the screen. The screen will serve to catch any parlicles which may have failed to settle to the bottom of the receiving portion-of the tank. If the screen becomes clogged or partly clogged it can be easily removed for cleaning as already described. If desired the baflle plates 40 and 41 and the screen 42 may be supplemented by means of screening devices 45, 45 at the entrance ends of the pipes 27, 27. Liquid may be introduced into the tank 18 by means of a supply pipe 46. Excess liquid may flow through an opening in the end of the tank into a basin 47 and thence through a pipe 48 to the main discharge pipe 49. The tank may be drained into the said pipe 49 through openings in the bottom, whicli are normally closed by the stand pipes '50 and 51. These stand pipes normally serve as auxiliary overflow meanskand they can be lifted when necessary to permit the draining of the tank. v 4

When an openwork conveyor such as 14 is used there is some possibility that small articlesbeing washed, or other solid bodies 40 such as large chips, may fall through the upper strand or run of the conveyor and'onto the lower strand or run thereof. Such articles although falling through the upper strand of the conveyor might fail to fall' 15 through the lower strand with the result that they would be carried toward the left and jammed bet-ween the lower strand ofthe con veyor and the drum 15. To avoid this possibility it may be desirable for certain classes 9 of ,work to provide an auxiliary guard or shield including a grating or screen tocatch and, retain sucharticles. have provided two inclined guide plates 52, 52 which extend entirely across the casing 1 between the strands of the-conveyor. oc'ated between these two guide plates are screens or gratings 53, 53. The screens or gratings 53, 53 have a relatively coarse mesh,

'the mesh being selected to enable them to catch any articles which might possibly fall through the conveyor but nevertheless being coarse enough to permit any ordinary chips or other similar particles to escape. Two such screens or gratings are illustrated but the numberis not essential. The screens or As illustrated I gratings 53, 53 are preferably removable and when two such screens or gratings are provided they may be supported in part by means of ledgesformed on the plates 52, 52 and in part by means of a central cross rail 54. Whenthe screens or gratings 53, 53 are to be removed access may be had to them through a door 55 formed in the side wall 2.

of the casing. The door 55 as illustrated may be moved vertically upward to be opened.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown an alternate construction in which no screen} is provided at the baflie plates, but in which asuitable screen is provided elsewhere. There is ,therein to settle to the bottom of the receiving portion.

.Preferably a wall 58 is provided which extends longitudinally between the baflie plate 56 and the right hand end of the tank, this wall forming a com artment 59.with which the pipe inlet pipes 2 27 communicate. The

wall 58 is provided with a large opening which is normally covered by means of a screen 60. Obviously the screen 60 serves to catch and retain any particles which may have failed to settle to the bottom of the tank. Preferably the screen 60 is removable, being normally held in place by means of lugs 61 which enter brackets 62 on the wall 58.

What I claim is:

1. A washing machine of the class described, comprising in combination a casing open at the ends and having parallel side walls with an opening in one of them, a substantially horizontal endless open-work conveyor for moving the articles to be washed longitudinally through the casing, the said conveyor being located with its lower run at a level above the bottom of the said side opening, a tank at least partly at one side of the casing and below the side opening therein, means for withdrawing liquid from the tank and delivering it against articles being moved by the conveyor, a shield under the lower run of the conveyor for receiving the liquid so delivered and returning it laterally through the side opening into the tank, and a substantially horizontal screen in the easing between the upper andlower runs of the conveyor, the said screen being out of register with the said side opening and serving to receive and retain articles passing through the upper run of the'conveyor so as to preventthem from being deposited on the lower run thereof.

2. A washing machine as set forth in claim 1', wherein the casing is provided with a side opening adjacent the screen and additional to the first said side opening, and wherein the screen is readily removable through the said additional side opening.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand this 4th day ofMay, 1928.

. GEORGE WEBB. 

